FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COLUMBIA, MO (February 24, 2009) - The Columbia Fire Department invites citizens and soon-to-be neighbors to the groundbreaking for Columbia Fire Station No. 9 on Wednesday, March 4, at 8:30 a.m. at 201 Blueridge Road. The site is on the northwest corner of Blueridge Road and Providence Road.

Speakers at the ceremony on Thursday will include Mayor Darwin Hindman, 2nd Ward Councilperson Chris Janku, City Manager Bill Watkins and Fire Chief William Markgraf. The Columbia Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors will also be present.

Columbia Fire Station No. 9 is being built with funding from a voter ¼ cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax Extension ballot issue in November of 2005.

The new fire station will assist in improving and maintaining response times in north-central Columbia, an area that has experienced rapid residential growth over the past several years. In addition, future commercial and residential development is anticipated with the completion of the Rangeline St. improvements and the Providence Road extension. Situated on the corner of Blueridge and Providence roads, Fire Station No. 9 will have excellent north-south access along a major corridor and will have quick access to Interstate 70 along with good east-west access along Blueridge.

The property, consisting of about 1.5 acres m/l, was purchased from a local developer at a cost of $240,000.

The new fire station was designed by Peckham & Wright Architects of Columbia, the same firm which designed fire stations 7 and 8.

Little Dixie Construction, based in Columbia, was the successful bidder for the project. The project cost is $1,605,524. Mechanical engineering services are being provided by CM Engineering of Columbia. Civil and structural engineering is being provided by Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw of Columbia.

The new station will feature a total of 7,891 square feet, three drive-through apparatus bays for safety, a police substation with independent access, and the site will include innovative methods of collecting and cleaning storm water run-off created by the development, including a rain garden and bio-swale detention pond.

The building qualifies for the Percent for Art funding and the project will be announced soon. In addition, the building and site has been designed and is expected to qualify as a LEED-certified project.

Due to limited parking, attendees are requested to park on the west side of Providence Road north of Blueridge Road.